74° and Clear
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The making of this cartoon:
Wish you had those 30 seconds back? It could have been worse. I have a 2:34 version here.
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Statistics schmatistics!
It was only two weeks ago that I commented on how quickly news gets stale in this world of “What did he do or say NOW?” There are some bananas that don’t go brown as quickly as others, though. After the release of the weak jobs report, Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a lifelong economist with only a PhD in that field of study, and he accused her without evidence. Trump called the data "rigged" and implied that BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer manipulated the numbers “for political purposes.” There’s that and the following, according to NBC News:
Taking to Truth Social, he attacked Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the BLS. He claimed that the country's jobs reports "are being produced by Biden appointee" and ordered his administration to terminate her.
"We need accurate Jobs Numbers," Trump wrote. "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes."
Gee. I wish he’d apply the same kind of thinking to the eminently qualified RFK Jr., who is not a physician and has no medical or public health training, yet is the overseer of the Department of Health and Human Services. But that’s another story and a different cartoon.
Now hear this
Boomers like me learned about propaganda during the Cold War from our first awareness of Soviet Russia’s messaging in the 1950s and through the 1960s. For an interesting and educational side trip, check out these posters and the stories behind them. I must admit, it appears that the Russkies valued their graphic designers.
Facts are truth. Alternative data, the kind faux truth that the Orange Creamsicle tries to spread, is simply poster-free propaganda. The devil’s advocate role is a fair one to play here. Data is not necessarily the truth. Bias can creep into data from various sources, including how the data is collected, processed, or even how it’s interpreted. But for Trump to pinpoint McEntarfer as the great data manipulator is beyond incredulous. It rivals the lunacy that our moon landings were staged. The BLS employs over 2,000 people in total, many of whom contribute to the various reports and data collection efforts.
OK, maybe I’m exaggerating. Take it from a respected British news institution:
At its height, NASA estimates that a total of 400,000 men and women across the United States were involved in the Apollo programme. The number includes everyone from astronauts to mission controllers, contractors to caterers, engineers, scientists, nurses, doctors, mathematicians and programmers.
Source: BBC
Frozen Pudding Pop diplomacy
The US certainly has had its own way of messaging the goodness of American life. “Uncle Sam Wants You”, Rosie the Riveter, Reefer Madness, and “Just Say No” posters are familiar cultural icons. They could be classified as part of the American propaganda machine.
However, nothing tops the passive weapon unleashed on an unsuspecting Boris Yeltsin in 1989. His unplanned visit to a Texas grocery store told him more than any razzle-dazzle dog and pony show could. Read When Boris Yeltsin went grocery shopping in Clear Lake.
The food selection showed no bias. Those boxes, cans, and bottles weren’t empty. The tongue and nose cannot be deceived. Facts is facts and food is food. And how about them Pudding Pops? Yeehaw!
Back to the doctor’s office
I hope Doctor Verity and his loyal assistant found good-paying jobs after patient 2024-47 fired them for manipulating his lab report. The medical advice for Trump? Just turn your head and cough … up more lies.
